Grant Date: September 2021
Amount: $53,200

There has not been reliable amateur repeater coverage across all of Chippewa County. In the hilly, northern part of the county there is limited cell phone access and very limited handheld radio access. There is an old repeater in that section of Chippewa County, but it receives its internet connect through an unreliable DSL line.

The grant will enable Chippewa Valley Amateur Radio Club to replace an old and unreliable repeater on a tower in Lake Holcombe ridge, add backup batteries and solar panels, and connect to the 44net IP addresses with a 5.8 GHz wireless connection back to a repeater site. They will also install a repeater at an old US Air Force radar site in Jim Falls and install a repeater at a tower in the Meteor Hills in Northern Wisconsin. Together, these repeaters will offer full coverage in northern Wisconsin, including the lands of the Lac Courte Oreilles nation. Enhanced coverage is important in the event of an emergency; the club works closely with Chippewa County’s Director of Emergency Services.

Learn More: https://w9cva.org/